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CHARLOTTE — All eyes are on incoming severe weather impacting North and South Carolina, expected to bring heavy rain, severe thunderstorms, and some local area flooding. American Red Cross North Carolina disaster teams are monitoring the situation and preparing to respond if necessary.

“Our local Red Cross teams here in our Cape Fear Area Chapter and across our region are preparing for potential impacts from flooding rains,” said James Jarvis, Executive Director, Cape Fear Area Chapter. “We’re remaining in close coordination with emergency officials and our disaster volunteer teams, and stand ready to support requests from our community and partners.”

The National Weather Service has issued several storm and flood watches and warnings along the east coast, particularly in coastal cities such as Wilmington, N.C. Local weather experts predict conditions to be favorable for heavy rain and flooding over the next few days in many areas of the Carolinas, and the Red Cross will continue to monitor local weather updates and correspond with emergency officials to provide assistance.

THUNDERSTORM SAFETY  

• You need to get inside a sturdy building before a thunderstorm hits. A sturdy building is a structure with walls and a foundation. Once you have identified a sturdy building, plan to shelter in the basement or a small, interior, windowless room on the lowest level to provide additional protection from high winds. Plan to stay inside until weather forecasts indicate it is safe to leave.
• Mobile, manufactured, trailer homes, and recreational vehicles (RVs) are not safe in high winds. If you live in one of these structures, you need to identify a sturdy building nearby that you can get to quickly.
• Understand the types of alerts that you may receive and have a plan to respond:
  • A WATCH means Be Prepared
  • A WARNING means Take Action!
• Utilities may be offline. Be prepared to live without power, gas, and water. Plan for your electrical needs, including cell phones and medical equipment.
• Have a backup battery or a way to charge your cell phone.
• In case of a power outage, have a battery-powered radio.
• Make a list of items outside your home you will need to tie down or put away so that they don’t blow away or fly through a window during high winds. When a High Wind, Severe Thunderstorm, or Tornado Watch, is issued, immediately secure these items to avoid damage or injury once the wind starts picking up.

FLOODING SAFETY 

Stay off the roads. Do not risk driving or navigating through floodwaters. If you must drive and encounter a flooded roadway while driving, turn around and go another way. 

• If your neighborhood is prone to flooding, be prepared to evacuate quickly if necessary.
• Follow evacuation orders and do not attempt to return until officials say it is safe to do so. Follow  evacuation routes and do not try to take shortcuts because they may be blocked.
• If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground. Most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water.
• Head for higher ground and stay there.
• Be especially cautious at night when it’s harder to see flood danger.
• Stay away from floodwaters. Beware of snakes, insects and other animals that may be in or around floodwaters and your home.
• Keep children and pets away from hazardous sites and floodwaters.
• Do not use water that could be contaminated to wash dishes, brush teeth, prepare food, wash hands, make ice or make baby formula.
• Offer help to people who require special assistance including older adults, those without transportation, large families, people with disabilities and the people who care for them.
• If power lines are down outside your home, do not step in puddles or standing water. Report them immediately to the power company.
• If any gas or electrical appliances were flooded, don’t use them until they have been checked for safety.
• Dispose of any food that has come into contact with flood water.
• Take pictures of home damage, both of the buildings and its contents, for insurance purposes.

YOU CAN HELP people affected by disasters like flooding and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767), or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

THE NEED FOR BLOOD Disruptions to blood donations – like recent weather systems – can have a significant impact on the availability of blood products, along with dramatic consequences for those in need of emergency blood transfusions and lifesaving medical procedures. Generous blood donors living in areas unaffected by inclement weather can help disaster victims by donating and ensuring those needing transfusions have access to lifesaving care.

Where it is safe to do so, make an appointment to give blood or platelets now by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Every donation matters. 

DOWNLOAD OUR APPS Download the free Red Cross First Aid app so you’ll know what to do if emergency help is delayed and the free Emergency app for weather alerts, open Red Cross shelter locations and safety steps for different emergencies. Choose whether you want to view the content in English or Spanish with an easy-to-find language selector. Find these and all of the Red Cross apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.